50th anniversary Mustang marketing campaign has begun

StangFX · Jun 21, 2013

Sure seems like the online hype machine is revving up. Lots of apparent leaks lately and now Ford social media getting involved. FoMoCo just sent this into the webosphere... "Mustang 1 concept - Ford Mustang Countdown"

Countdown to 50. 50 weeks until 50th bday. There will be a video released by Ford each week until then.

4/14/14 Video:
The Road to the Empire State Building for a 2015 Ford Mustang

As the world honors 50 years of Ford Mustang, what better way to celebrate one of the most iconic car brands than putting one back on top of one of the most iconic buildings? Getting a 2015 Ford Mustang convertible to the narrow observation deck of the Empire State Building 1,000 feet above the streets of Manhattan is no easy task. Here's how the crew got ready.

2/18/14 Video:
A Collector's Story - Mustang Countdown

It all began in 1978 with a 2.3-liter Mustang II. Today, Mike Berardi owns 43 Mustangs including three Indianapolis 500 pace cars, one of 500 1966 Shelby GT350H fastbacks, a 2012 Boss 302 and a 2013 Shelby GT500 and drives all of them.

2/7/14 Video:
First Mustang Owner - Mustang Countdown

On April 15, 1964, Gail Brown was fresh out teacher's college and looking for her first new car. Little did she realize that by the end of that day, she would become the first retail customer to buy a new Ford Mustang. Nearly 50 years later Gail Wise and her husband Tom still own that baby blue Mustang convertible.

1/31/14 Video:
Gaming Comes Alive: Need for Speed - Mustang Countdown

At the 2013 E3 video game convention, Dreamworks studio, Electronic Arts and Ford announced a film adaptation of the Need for Speed video game series. Need for Speed hits the big screen on March 14, 2014 with star Aaron Paul driving a custom 2014 Ford Mustang GT.

1/22/14 Video:
SVT: Special Vehicle Team - Mustang Countdown

For more than 20 years, Ford's Special Vehicle Team, better known among fans as SVT has been building some of the fastest Mustangs of all time. From experimental one-offs like 10-liter Boss and the ethanol-fueled Super Stallion to the world's most powerful production V8 in the current Shelby GT500, the engineers at SVT know how to make a pony gallop.

12/19/13 Video:
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Art of Camouflage - Mustang Countdown

The all-new Ford Mustang was one of the most highly anticipated new cars of 2013, one that everyone wanted to get a look at. Keeping the shape hidden until everyone was ready to reveal it was the job of the Ford camouflage team.

12/16/13 Video:
#MustangInspires

Are you a Ford employee with a Mustang memory to share?
Use social media to tell us how #MustangInspires you!

12/13/13 Video:
A Need for Speed: Mustang Countdown

Players of the EA's newest arcade-style racing video game, Need for Speed Rivals can now be the first to take a virtual test drive in the all-new Ford Mustang. The new Mustang is a available as a no-cost in-game update with with five custom paint jobs created using the online Mustang Customizer.

11/19/13 Video:
Mustang Inspires: The Art of the Short" Film Series: #1 Karen Grubb

On December 5th, Ford will take the cover off the all-new Mustang, the sixth generation of the iconic pony car that will celebrate 50 years in production next year. Ford is counting down to the next chapter in the Mustang story by inviting people to share their photographic stories of inspiration using the #MustangInspires hashtag on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms. The tagged photos and videos will appear on http://www.mustanginspires.com/.

11/6/13 Video:
Ford T5

10/30/13 Video:
Cruisin' Mustang Alley - Mustang Countdown

For more than half a century, summertime in Detroit has meant cruising season when drivers hit the streets in their favorite rides. In mid-August Ford takes over a major chunk of the city of Ferndale, Michigan for Mustang Alley where pony cars of every vintage are gathered so their owners can show off and swap stories.

10/22/13 Video:
Owners Clubs: A Passion for the Pony - Mustang Countdown

Getting behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang is like having a vacation every day. The joy of driving a Mustang has inspired tens of thousands of owners to gather themselves into clubs that span every continent on the globe but Antarctica.

Clubs get together on a regular basis for road rallies, shows and swap meets where owners can find parts for their classic pony cars. In August 2013, more than 1,000 Mustangs participated in the annual Mustang Memories show organized by the Mustang Owners Club of Southeast Michigan at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn.

10/9/13 Video:
Motor City: A Rich History - Mustang Countdown

For more than a century, the automobile and the city of Detroit have grown up together, each influencing the other. Throughout the highs and lows, the cars and the community have been chronicled at Detroit Historical Museum which is located in the city's cultural center.

One of the stars of the museum's collection is the 1963 Ford Mustang II concept. The Mustang II debuted 50 years ago at the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, New York. Produced from one of the development prototypes for the upcoming production model, it gave the world its first real preview of what the 1965 Mustang would look like.

The industry and the city that is home to it have been through many difficult periods of the years, but both are currently experiencing a renaissance by refocusing on the fundamentals. The mix of startup businesses like Shinola and classic elements of the city are drawing new residents and entrepreneurs, just as the auto industry is coming back with an emphasis on great products.

9/15/13 Video:
Mustang Man: Europe -- Mustang Countdown

For many Mustang owners, Mustang is more than just a car - it's a lifestyle. Ralf Wurm turned the key on his first Mustang 30 years ago and since then Mustang has been part of his life.

9/18/13 Video:
Carroll Shelby: King of the Road -- Mustang Countdown

For nearly 50 years, the name Shelby has been synonymous with high-performance Ford Mustangs. When Mustang first hit the streets in April 1964, it was stylish, affordable and fun to drive. But it wasn't until Carroll Shelby revealed the first GT350 early the next year that Mustang really developed a hard-core performance reputation. With drivers like world champion Sterling Moss at the wheel, Mustang soon had the on-track credibility to match its go-fast looks.

As the standard Mustangs got faster and more powerful, Carroll Shelby and his team kept ahead of the pack with later GT350s, the GT500 and GT500KR "King of the Road." Prior to his death in 2012, Shelby remained involved with high-performance Mustangs including the current 200 mph, 662-horsepower Shelby GT500.

9/12/13 Video:
Mustang II: The Unsung Hero -- Mustang Countdown

Forty years ago this fall, Ford introduced an all-new second generation Mustang. At 19 inches shorter and 500 pounds lighter than the 1973 model it replaced, it was a radical departure. Mustang II was more of a return to the premise of the original 1965 model, light, nimble and affordable. While many performance fans derided the Mustang II, it arrived just in time for the first big oil price spike as well as new emissions control and safety regulations. It certainly wasn't a muscle car and didn't even have a V8 engine in the first year on sale. But it was the right Mustang for the time and nearly 400,000 customers agreed in 1974, the highest sales since 1966. Without the success of Mustang II, the line may well have gone extinct in the 1970s. Today, Mustang II is seeing a resurgence as enthusiasts see the lightweight, nimble platform as a good starting point for a fun performance machine with engine, suspension and brake upgrades. In this episode of Mustang Countdown, Ford Racing's John Clor extolls the virtues of his favorite Mustang.

9/4/13 Video:
Shrink Ray: Designing Hot Wheels - Mustang Countdown

Creating a Ford Mustang that looks right when it's only two inches long is not as simple as just dividing all the dimensions by 64. As chief designer for Hot Wheels, Felix explains that his design team starts with digital CAD models from automakers like Ford and then proceeds to increase the size of the wheels while shrinking other details such as mirrors.

Mustang has been a part of the Hot Wheels lineup since the very first series was produced in 1968 with tens of millions of toys produced since then, making the diminutive rides the best selling ponies of all time.

8/28/13 Video:
Pure Vision: Custom Mustang - Mustang Countdown

Steve Strope, owner of Pure Vision Design in Simi Valley, Calif. spent four years designing and building the 1965 Mustang T-5R. Inspired by a pair of Mustangs that finished first and second in the 1964 Tour de France Rally, Strope modified his 1965 fastback with new mechanicals including a 300 cubic-inch version of the 4-cam Ford Indy V8 that powered Jimmy Clark to victory in the 1965 Indianapolis 500.

The T-5R was patterned after rally cars of the era and outfitted with many of the parts used by Carroll Shelby on his GT350 race cars. The finishing touch was white paint job red and blue stripes based on the livery of Martini Racing cars that have won races around the world since the 1960s.

Strope unveiled his car in late 2012 at SEMA's annual show in Las Vegas; the payoff: He won best in show for outstanding achievement in design.

8/21/13 Video:
Curator's Choice: The Petersen Automotive Museum Vault -- Mustang Countdown

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California is widely regarded as one of the best collections of rolling sculpture in the world. In addition to the 150 vehicles in the regular public display, a similar number of vehicles are housed downstairs in the vault.

As a car fan, Chris Brown has the good fortune to be the museum's curator with access to all parts of the museum including the vault. Among the cars currently in the vault are several Ford Mustangs including one of the last Shelby GT350s from 1969 and another customized by George Barris for the 1965 film Marriage on the Rocks that starred Frank Sinatra.

8/14/13 Video:
Racing the Boss: Parnelli Jones -- Mustang Countdown

Motorsports has been a part of the Ford Mustang story since the pony car's very earliest days in 1964. Not long after it debuted, a pair of Mustangs finished and second in class in the Tour de France rally. One of the most iconic racing Mustangs of the past 49 years was the School Bus Yellow #15 Boss 302 driven by Parnelli Jones in the TransAm series during 1969 and 1970. After missing out on the championship in 1969, Jones led Ford to the top in 1970 with five wins in 11 races including a tough race in the finale at Riverside.

8/7/13 Video:
California Custom: Barry's Speed Shop -- Mustang Countdown

Barry White has been building custom street rods and muscle cars for more than 25 years. Today as the owner and founder of Barry's Speed Shop, he and his team service cars for clients and build two to three completely new cars every year.

Over the past decade Barry has seen a shift in his clientele and the types of cars they want to buy. Classic 1960s-era cars like the first-generation Ford Mustang have always been popular, but the customer base has gotten younger, people want cars with vintage looks and everyday drivability.

Many of the cars that emerge from Barry's Speed Shop today feature modern powertrains, suspension and brakes that go, turn and stop faster than anything emerged from a pre-1970 assembly line. Best of all with fuel injection, rack and pinion steering and big disk brakes the engines fire up every morning without hesitation and speed can be quickly dissipated.

7/31/13 Video:
RC Movie Magic: Filming a Chase -- Ford Mustang Countdown

Earlier this year, young filmmaker Zach King sparked a viral video sensation with "The Cliché RC Action Chase" which garnered nearly 3 million views on YouTube. Just like more than 3,000 films and TV shows over the past 49 years, King's video features Ford Mustang in a prominent role.

A pair of Ford Shelby GT500 Mustangs star in an action-packed sequence that features drifting around corners, tight racing and helicopter gunships, all without any CGI. What makes this video special is that all the vehicles are radio-controlled scale models but creative cinematography and editing give the finished product a surprisingly realistic look.

Check out Zach King's original video at

7/24/13 Video:
Best-Selling Mustangs: Hot Wheels -- Ford Mustang Countdown

More than 9.2 million Mustangs have rolled out of Ford factories since 1965, but Ford is not even close to being the number one seller of pony cars in the world. That honor belongs to Mattel, the manufacturer of Hot Wheels. Mustang was part of the original series of 16 vehicles first released in 1968 and since then Mattel has produced tens of millions of 1:64 and 1:43 scale toy Mustangs. Over the past 45 years at least one Hot Wheels Mustang design has been produced almost every year and they are believed to be among the top sellers.

7/17/13 Video:
Mustang Riding Toys -- Ford Mustang Countdown

For nearly as long parents have been driving Mustangs, there have pint-sized versions made for the kids . Shortly after the debut of the Mustang in 1964, AMF introduced a red convertible pedal car version, originally priced at $12.95. AMF produced the pedal car for several years before selling the tooling to another company where it languished in a Mexican warehouse for more than 30 years before being rediscovered and returned to America to resume production. More recently Fisher-Price has had tremendous success with its line of battery-powered Power Wheels Mustangs.

7/16/13 Video:
For the Kids: Mustang Riding Toys - Ford Mustang Countdown

For nearly as long parents have been driving Mustangs, there have pint-sized versions made for the kids . Shortly after the debut of the Mustang in 1964, AMF introduced a red convertible pedal car version, originally priced at $12.95. AMF produced the pedal car for several years before selling the tooling to another company where it languished in a Mexican warehouse for more than 30 years before being rediscovered and returned to America to resume production. More recently Fisher-Price has had tremendous success with its line of battery-powered Power Wheels Mustangs.

7/9/13 Video:
1 Million Mustangs from Flat Rock

2004 was a milestone year for the Ford Mustang as the first of the all-new fifth-generation models emerged from the assembly line at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan after four decades of production at the legendary Rouge factory near Ford World Headquarters.

The vast majority of more than 9.2 million Ford Mustangs produced since the pony car debuted in 1964 have been built in American factories in southeast Michigan. Just nine years after moving down the road from the Dearborn plant, the production team at Flat Rock celebrated production of 1 million Mustangs on the pony's 49th birthday.

7/2/13 Video:
Build It Online: The Mustang Customizer

From the earliest days of the Ford Mustang in 1964, making the pony car their own was an important part of the experience for customers. A vast array of colors, wheels, engines and other options made it possible for almost anyone to create a completely unique car.

Today, customers can build virtual versions of their dream pony using the Mustang Customizer. From June 2012 to June 2013, there were more than 4.5 million visits to the Customizer site and more than 2.5 million build starts. More than 22% of all the visits came from outside the United States, mostly from countries where you can't even buy a Mustang.

6/26/13 Video:
History Haven: The Ford Archives -- Ford Mustang Countdown

When historians document the history of Ford Motor Company and the Mustang, one of the places they look to for information is the company archives. Within the Ford Archives, Dean Weber and his team regularly catalog and retrieve millions of documents, images and videos in one of the oldest corporate archives in America. The archives contain a vast treasure trove of Mustang design drawings, specifications, manuals, brochures, photographs, commercials and more.

6/21/13 Video:
Where It All Started: The Mustang 1 Concept - Ford Mustang Countdown

It's the early 1960s and America is changing; new music, new movies and new young drivers looking for a different kind of ride. Ford realizes it must change with the times. Two years before the launch of the car that would become a worldwide sensation, the first concept car bearing the Mustang name emerges from the Ford design studios.

The entire Mustang project was code-named "Allegro" since many of the engineers and designers working on the concept are musicians. In order to keep the true nature of the project under wraps, they use musical terms as a code. While the diminutive, two-seat sports car doesn't make it to production in concept form, a number of design cues do along with the Mustang name.

We're collecting and sharing some of those stories each week on Mustang Countdown as we explore how this pony earned such a special place in the hearts of fans from not only New York to California, but Shanghai to London and Iceland to Argentina.

Bullitt · Jun 21, 2013

I dunno, they say they're going to post a video every week. Are they going to do a feature on every single model year? 50 videos would be a lot. Seems way too early to be building hype if this car won't debut until April 2014. It's gotta be sooner.

StangFX · Jun 21, 2013

Bullitt said:
I dunno, they say they're going to post a video every week. Are they going to do a feature on every single model year? 50 videos would be a lot. Seems way too early to be building hype if this car won't debut until April 2014. It's gotta be sooner.

I'm sure it wont be every single year, but all the major ones for sure. I dont think it's too early. They did say it would be a year long celebration from last April. It would just be a bit strange to me to keep running this campaign until next April if the 50th Anniversary edition car is going to be revealed much sooner (it would have to be either Nov this year or Jan next year).

Mriley · Jun 22, 2013

Speaking of marketing campaigns, I can't believe I missed this event at the MILK gallery. I know there's some other NY'ers on here. Anyone happen to catch this?

The Ford Mustang: Celebrating 50 Years of Automotive Excellence

BY Led Black (@Led_Black)
Photography by Paul Lomax (@PaulLomaxPhoto)

How do you celebrate 50 years of American automotive excellence?
Well, if you are the Ford Motor Company then you put together a shindig/shrine at the Milk Gallery dedicated to the incomparable Mustang and it’s illustrious pedigree. The event was a kick-off to a year-long anniversary celebration of all things Mustang.

On April 17th 2014, the Ford Mustang will become the newest member of a very exclusive and elite club – vehicles in continuous production for 50 years. To help mark this milestone, 50 companies will sell products including watches, T-shirts, model cars and more that celebrate the Mustang’s first 50 years.

One of those companies is Schott NYC, which was established the same year that Ford began producing the Model T on the first moving assembly line. Schott NYC produces premium jackets, shirts and accessories that have been worn by such stars as Marlon Brando, James Dean, Peter Fonda, the Ramones, Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z, just to name a few.

Chris Horsfield, 53, VP of Product Development at Schott NYC helmed the design team that put together a priceless leather jacket made from reclaimed upholstery from Ford Mustangs going back to 1964.

Mr. Horsfield spoke to the Uptown Collective at the Ford Mustang Collection event at the MILK Gallery on March 26th, 2013 saying, “The concept came from Jason Schott and his idea was to do a green heritage kind of feel to the jacket so we used all interiors of old Ford Mustangs. We got a pile of old Ford Mustangs seats delivered to us dating back to the first original Mustang from 1964. We took all the different panels, - including head rest, seat cushions and Ford sent us an original Mustang ignition key which we used as the zipper – basically we used materials from all the different Mustang’s, took them apart and constructed this jacket from all of the panels.”

Asked about the value of the jacket Mr. Horsfield said, “It’s the only one in the world, its value is un-estimable. There’s only going to be one and because it’s made of original parts it’s going to be very hard to reproduce. You need to get the same panels and the same trims so it’s going to be a tall order.”

The jacket was conceived, designed in just three days by a seven-man team including fourth generation owner Jason Schott. The jacket will be used by the Ford Motor Company to promote the Ford Mustang Anniversary and will then go back to the Schott shop in NYC.

The priceless piece of apparel is a fitting tribute to the Ford Mustang, which has not lost an iota of its luster in all this time. Here’s to another 50 – long live the Ford Mustang!

StangFX · Jun 28, 2013

New video, updated my post.... showing the massive archives they have.

thePill · Jun 28, 2013

Can we get a sticky on this thread. Let StangFX do the posting and consolidation since he's pretty high speed on the subject...

StangFX · Jun 28, 2013

I'll do my best if admins can sticky it. Should be a new one every week.

Thed · Jun 28, 2013

StangFX said:
I'll do my best if admins can sticky it. Should be a new one every week.

You mean admin? jStang is the only admin we have. :lol:

thePill · Jun 28, 2013

StangFX said:
I'll do my best if admins can sticky it. Should be a new one every week.

If you happen to not be at the computer when a video comes out, no worries. Someone will post it... Just update your original post when you have time so the videos are consolidated in the opening post.

We can work together on this... It's kinda important.

KZStang · Jun 28, 2013

^^

I wish I could see all the goodies they have hiding in there.

StangFX · Jun 28, 2013

thePill said:
If you happen to not be at the computer when a video comes out, no worries. Someone will post it... Just update your original post when you have time so the videos are consolidated in the opening post.

We can work together on this... It's kinda important.

Yep I got it.

:headbang:

StangFX · Jul 3, 2013

New video added - "The Mustang Customizer"

Looks like this isn't all historical. Nice mix of stuff.

Mriley · Jul 3, 2013

What is that green car in the beginning screen capture..... oh could it be? oh... oh.... and... it's a Fusion. :lol::tsk:

http://wot.motortrend.com/thread-of...-2012-sema-show-car-285973.html#axzz2XzhJq7vy
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CIAS_2013_-_Ford_Fusion_(8514753768).jpg

Darn.

On the other hand, I think they should have a blind taste test. I bet many people would think it's a good looking front fascia for a Mustang...... as long as they dont know what they're looking at.

RIParker · Jul 3, 2013

Lol imagine Ford leaking the new mustang like that. What they should do is put a little easter egg in each of these videos. A subtle clue about the 2015.

thePill · Jul 3, 2013

In the future, you will be able to order your Mustang (and eventually ALL Ford products) directly from your home computer. As it is already, you can take a virtual tour of your car before it is produced... Eventually, Ford will take it a step further...

You will be able to take your virtual order to race tracks all around the world and race your car while the real thing is being made... Gran Turismo style.

Forget all the previous methods of entertaining customers in the waiting room... Give them a virtual loaner while their car is built is a great way to keep them occupied. Letting them use their creations on virtual test tracks could also give the customer a chance to live in the car a little. It could possibly inspire changes based on their own experience with the car... Great marketing tool!!!

50th anniversary Mustang marketing campaign has begun

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